PREVIEW: Nightmare Expo Brings Some Scare This Winter
01/17 @ Proctors, Schenectady
“Proctors Theatre will be transformed into a horror-filled, nightmare-inducing realm.”
For one chilling day, Schenectady’s Proctors Theatre will be transformed into a horror-filled, nightmare inducing realm. The Nightmare Expo, a spinoff of the popular Nightmare Market, takes over the theater on Saturday, January 17 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nightmare Expo and Market founder Kayla Ek promises a much larger experience than the Nightmare Market and one that’s on a whole other level.
The inaugural Nightmare Expo is expected to draw more than 100 vendors from across the United States. Attendees can have their palms read, receive psychic and tarot card readings, and even learn the art of taxidermy. Other hands-on activities include meeting and having photos taken with the enchanted birds from Whispering Willow Wild Care, or “enjoying” a snake massage provided by one of the serpents from The Snake Den.
Live entertainment will include a theatrical performance by Diiiotima, a boutique New York-based production company known for its unconventional performance art. The group specializes in “night circus” productions featuring theatrical rituals, sideshows, burlesque, and fire shows. Also on the schedule is aerialist Jessica Black, who has performed around the world as a professional dancer and aerialist, worked on cruise ships, and appeared on Broadway in CATS. Black will showcase a wide range of specialized feats, including aerial hoop, silks, sling, aerial bartending, and stilt walking. Live bands and DJs will provide music throughout the day.
Several hands-on classes will also be offered throughout the day. These include butterfly pinning, where attendees will learn how to rehydrate butterflies and properly pin them, and perfumery, which teaches guests how to blend essential oils, botanical extracts, and other plant-based ingredients to create their own signature scents. For the more adventurous, a taxidermy class will guide participants through the steps of preparing, preserving, and posing a rat using traditional taxidermy techniques.
As with most expos, attendees will have multiple opportunities to take part in meet-and-greet sessions with featured guests throughout the day. The Nightmare Expo’s guest lineup includes Stephanie Harlowe, a true crime YouTuber and co-host of the Crime Weekly Podcast and Brimstone, a pro wrestler, author, and iHeartRadio DJ. Also appearing is Borah Brewington Snaggletooth XIII, a well-known witch, street performer, and Salem cultural personality traveling to the Expo all the way from the dark shadows of Salem!
Tickets for the Nightmare Expo are available through the Proctors Theatre website at www.atproctors.org/event/nightmare-expo with presale tickets priced at $12 and day-of tickets at $15. Children under age 10 are admitted free with a paid adult. Tickets for hands-on classes range from $137 to $227 and are limited in seating. Several ticket options are also available for guest speaker Stephanie Harlowe, including $12 admission to attend the lecture “True Crime & Untold Stories with Stephanie Harlowe” and a $55 VIP upgrade, which includes post-lecture access to meet Harlowe on stage, a professional photo indicating opportunity, and one signed item. All add-on tickets can also be purchased at the website above.
Additional information about the Nightmare Expo including additional pricing information, scheduling, and a full vendor list are available on the Nightmare Expo website at https://www.nightmareexpony.com.